Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee hears evidence on the science and regulation of hair and beauty products and treatments.
Witnesses:
Victoria Lee (Lived experience)
Ashton Collins – Director at Save Face
Seyi Faldonun – Co-founder and Lead of Level Up’s No More Lyes Campaign at Level Up
Victoria Brownlee – Chief Policy and Sustainability Officer at The British Beauty Council
Dr Emma Meredith – Director General at The Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association
Diane Hey – Founder and Chief Executive Officer at The Hair and Beauty Industry Authority
Social entrepreneurs are not superheroes. They’re people who encounter a problem they can no longer ignore and choose to act. Grounded in the everyday realities of their communities, they build solutions that work – not because they promise the ‘next big tech’, but because they respond to what people and markets actually need.
Amid a year of profound disruption and geopolitical shifts, the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, has reimagined its models and pivoted to new opportunities to remain impactful. Their collective response reveals a sector in transition – one that is redefining sustainability through collaboration, adaptability and a renewed commitment to making society a better place.
Over nearly three decades, the Schwab Foundation has built a global community of pioneering social innovators. By fostering a diverse and trust-based community, raising awareness of social innovation models, facilitating collaboration and partnerships, and providing capacity-building resources and learning opportunities, the foundation is committed to scaling social entrepreneurship and innovation worldwide.
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress.
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The suffering of thousands of displaced people in the Gaza Strip has worsened as a low-pressure system intensified, bringing strong winds that battered the enclave and caused widespread damage to temporary shelter tents.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explains how health taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks help countries protect lives today — and build sustainable, self-reliant health systems for tomorrow. By reducing harmful consumption and generating domestic revenue, health taxes cut healthcare costs while funding health, education, and social protection.
UKRAINE
Today in Ukraine, as the war approaches its fifth year, we and our humanitarian partners launched the 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, which calls for $2.3 billion to support more than 4 million people across the country with life-saving assistance. Overall, nearly 11 million people across Ukraine are estimated to require humanitarian assistance this year. Our colleagues note that widespread disruptions to electricity and to heating during extremely cold winter conditions are creating a crisis within an existing crisis, pushing already vulnerable people to the brink. Humanitarian needs remain most severe in front-line areas and along the northern border, where intensified shelling, destruction of civilian infrastructure and persistent disruptions to essential services is ongoing.
People living in territories occupied by the Russian Federation remain largely cut off from services and protection, while humanitarian access remains extremely limited. Humanitarian assistance works hand in hand with Government-led efforts, with national and local organizations, together with our international partners, all playing a central role in reaching people in the most difficult and dangerous conditions. Meanwhile, authorities report that attacks across Ukraine in the past day resulted in civilian casualties, and disruptions to basic services, all of this continuing in freezing temperatures. The capital Kiyv and its region, as well as the regions of Donetsk, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia were all among the hardest hit. In Odesa, overnight attacks injured several civilians and damaged residential buildings as well as civilian facilities, including offices and premises of several UN organizations.
Across the country, rolling power outages are continuing, and some areas, including parts of capital city, Kyiv, remained without heating as temperatures dropped to –15°C.
SECURITY COUNCIL/UKRAINE
Yesterday afternoon, you will have noted that the Security Council held an open briefing on Ukraine. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, briefed Council members and noted that large-scale aerial assaults by the Russian Federation against civilians and critical civilian infrastructure across Ukraine have resulted in horrific levels of destruction and suffering. Ms. DiCarlo reiterated the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, stressing that such attacks violate international humanitarian law. She reaffirmed the Secretary-General’s repeated calls for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, grounded in respect for international law and the principles of the Charter of this organization.
Also briefing the Council, Ramesh Rajasingham, OCHA’s Director of Coordination, said that what makes the latest attacks especially devastating is that they cripple systems that keep civilians alive during winter. He underscored that civilians who are enduring these attacks need more than statements of concern from the Security Council. They need concrete action to reduce civilian harm and ensure that humanitarian support continues to reach people when they need it most.
Full highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-01-13
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Website: https://www.un.org/sg/en/spokesperson
Amid ongoing and intensifying Russian attacks across Ukraine, the UN on Tuesday launched a $2.3 billion humanitarian appeal for 2026 to support 4.1 million of the country’s most vulnerable people.
With the EU–Mercosur agreement, a 700 million–people market is coming to life. Approved by EU member states on 9 January 2026, the deal strengthens trade, investment, and cooperation while promoting shared values, sustainability, and fair competition.
The world of finance is navigating profound change.
In an era defined by volatility and fragmentation, collaboration and long-term thinking are becoming decisive advantages. In that environment, perspective matters — and so does a trusted network.
The World Economic Forum’s Women in Finance community connects senior leaders across markets, regions and industries. Collectively, this global network influences trillions of dollars in capital and spans the full breadth of the financial system.
Leaders such as Tzu Mi Liew of GIC Private Limited, Karen Karniol-Tambour of Bridgewater Associates, Christiana Riley of Santander US and Lisha Patel of Wellcome reflect on why long-term thinking underpins resilience and why better decisions are made together.
The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It provides a global, impartial and not-for-profit platform for meaningful connection between stakeholders to establish trust, and build initiatives for cooperation and progress.
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Source: United Kingdom UK Parliament (video statements)
The Business and Trade Committee hears evidence from manufacturing, transport and logistics professionals on UK trade with the EU.
Witnesses:
Alastair Gunn -Trade Policy Lead at Road Haulage Association
Toby Ovens -Managing Director at Broughton Transport
Julian Walker -Chief Commercial Officer and Regional Director at Associated British Ports
Tom Bradshaw – President at National Farmers’ Union
Peter Brennan – Director of Trade and Economic Policy at UK Steel
Matt Hinde – Head of International Policy and Engagement at National Grid
Oriel Petry – Senior Vice President at Airbus UK
Briefing by Ramesh Rajasingham, Director, Humanitarian Sector Division, Head and Representative of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva (OCHA), on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Briefing the Council, Ramesh Rajasingham, head of OCHA’s Humanitarian Sector Division, warned that the attacks are having severe consequences for civilians during winter. He said repeated strikes on power, heating, and water systems in major cities have left hundreds of thousands of people without basic services, adding that in Kryvyi Rih families are melting snow for washing and cooking and heating water over candles after prolonged power cuts.
